Wine making is an ancient process involving a complex blend of science and art, often involving trial and error. As such, many improvements have been made over the years in the wine making process to try to improve the taste of the wine. However, there can still be variations in the taste and quality of the wine depending on, for example, the types of grapes used, the amount of other ingredients used, the fermentation process, the barrels used to store and age the wine, the external storage and transport conditions, exposure to light and even time, not all of which prove to be beneficial to the taste and quality of the wine.
As a consequence of the potential inconsistency in the wine making process, many devices have been developed for improving the taste of wine. These devices aim to improve the taste of the wine so that the purchaser may consume the wine, even if it does not have the desired or expected taste when the container is opened, thereby eliminating any waste of the wine.
The prior art discloses various devices to treat wine and other beverages. One such device is the Magne'fique Flav-O-Ring, manufactured by the Magnetizer Group, which is a magnetic ring having a handle and which is placed over the neck of a wine bottle or placed on top of a wine glass as the wine is poured into the glass. When the Magne'fique Flav-O-Ring is placed over the neck of a wine bottle, it must be held in place as the wine is poured or it will fall off of the bottle. When it is placed on top of a glass, it must also be held in place so that it does not fall off of the glass or tip the glass over. As such, the Magne'fique Flav-O-Ring is inconvenient, heavy and awkward to use.
Another such device is the Vintage Enhancer, manufactured by the Bond/Helman Company, which is a cylinder with an electrical adapter. With this device, a wine bottle is be placed into the cylinder, which is then plugged into an electrical outlet for 15 to 40 minutes. The contents are then said to be “aged” and ready to be served. Because of its structure, this device is awkward to use, time-consuming and expensive.
Also known in the prior art is Miyanoo, Japanese Patent No. 401148175 A, which is said to disclose a device and method for aging food and beverages. This device consists of four magnetic units placed in an alternative arrangement, such as North-South and South-North, or varied arrangement in various shapes with semiconductors. The magnetic units are located lengthwise with respect to the body of the device. A vessel containing the beverage is then placed in the device.
Also known is Peiffer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,614 B1, which is said to disclose a method and apparatus for improving the organoleptic properties of alcoholic beverages. This device consists of a permanent ring magnet and a beverage container is held within the center diameter or placed upon the surface of the device. The magnet is sandwiched between a top piece and a base holder. In another embodiment, a plurality of rectangular magnets are placed around a conventional pipe.
Also known is Lutzker, U.S. Published Application No. 2003/0003189 A1, which is said to disclose a method and apparatus for improving the taste of wine and other beverages. Wine is treated with a magnetic field preferably formed by at least two magnets. One magnet is positioned at the base of the container holding the wine and another magnet is positioned at the top of the container. The magnet at the top of the container is located in a top piece which acts like a stopper that is inserted into the orifice of the container. The magnets in the stopper and the base should have their fields aligned, preferably such that the stopper has south facing down and the base has north facing up.
Also known is Coates, U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,710, which is said to disclose a magnetic inductor for inducing a magnetic field upon water passing through a pipe. The inductor is annular shape and is secured around the pipe with a hook and loop fastening means.
Also known is Parkyn, U.S. Pat. No. 655,413, which is said to disclose a drinking cup, the whole of which or metal portions of which are magnetized either by a current of electricity or otherwise, that will magnetize a liquid put into it.
Other devices are known for the magnetic treatment of liquids. These devices, along with the devices above, have various shortcomings including being overly complex, requiring significant time to take effect, expensive and difficult to make, expensive to the consumer, difficult to use and unattractive. The shortcomings of these devices are addressed by the present invention.